The invention is related to the art of telephone call redialing. The invention will be described in terms of mobile communications network initiated automatic redialing. However, the invention may be applied in other calling environments. For example, the invention may be applied to wired telephone networks.
When placing a telephone call, it is not uncommon to receive a busy signal or to be otherwise informed that the called party or user equipment of the called party is unavailable for completion of the call. In these situations, it is sometimes possible to leave a recorded message for the called party. However, in other situations, a message recording service or device is unavailable or inappropriate. In these situations, the calling party has few options other than to try the call again at a later time.
Some user equipment and network features have been developed to make this task easier. For example, many phones include a redial button. The last number dialed is stored in a memory of the telephone. Pressing the redial button causes the last set of digits dialed to be automatically redialed. This feature allows the calling party to check periodically to see if the called party or the user equipment of the called party is available to receive the call.
Some telephone networks can be configured to automatically redial the number of the called party and to alert the user equipment of the calling party when a connection to the called party is established.
However, these redialing solutions have drawbacks. Using the redial button requires the calling party to interrupt other activities each time redialing is initiated. For example, if it is urgent that the calling party reach the called party, the calling party may be forced to redial every minute, thereby making it difficult to make another call or to carry out any other task. Currently available network based redial systems don't allow the calling party to set a duration for which redialing attempts are to be made, nor do they allow the calling party to select a redial interval or frequency with which redial attempts are to be made. Furthermore, if the calling party is unavailable when the network establishes a connection to the called party, the called party hears only silence when answering the auto dial call and may be left with the impression that he or she is the victim of a prank or harassing phone call.
Therefore, there is a desire for a system and method of network initiated auto redialing that allows the calling party to select an appropriate redial interval and redial duration thereby reducing the chance that the call will be completed when the calling party is unavailable. Additionally, there is a desire for a system and method of network initiated auto redialing that informs the called party of the purpose of the call should the call be completed when the calling party is unavailable.